This invention relates to manually operable, multi-functional or multi-directional control devices such as joystick controls or equivalent for controlling variables in electrical apparatus such as computers, video games, toys, and machinery.
"Joysticks" are often used for controlling a variety of electrical systems such as video displays requiring positional or directional control in two dimensions. Most prior art hand controllers include joysticks that utilize pressure switches to produce switching action in response to movements of the joystick handle, such as in U.S. Pat. No. 4,124,787 issued to Aamoth et al. This type of prior art controller is complex, unreliable, mundane, and awkward to use. Attempting to correct the problems inherent in the Aamoth et al type of joystick, Hansen U.S. Pat. No. 4,445,011 proposes a joystick handle containing mercury switches; this technique fails to resolve the wrist fatigue attendant to joystick type controllers, is particularly awkward to use in rearward attitudes, it by itself does not provide a good neutral or control position reference while either hand held or set down, and it does not provide for effective ergonomic placement and utilization of external auxiliary control switches. Also, Moskin et al, U.S. Pat. No. 4,425,488, describes a mercury switch arrangement in a pistol grip controller mounted on a base for avoiding the shortcomings of the Aamoth et al type joystick; however, it also fails for some of the same reasons as in the Hansen patent. In U.S. Pat. No. 3,787,647 issued to Hughes and U.S. Pat. No. 4,201,900 issued to Marchev, fluid-type gravity switches of various configurations are described. None of these configurations are known to have been used for electrically controlling multi-directional variables; these patents do not disclose means for controlling movement or position of images in an X-Y plane on a video display. In U.S. Pat. No. 4,567,479, Boyd discloses a mercury switch controller affixed to the head of an incapacitated user; head movement activates an array of switches for sending signals to a computer console or video device. However, the device is limited for attachment to the user's head; while changing the attitude of the device, the user, on a practicable basis, cannot ergonomically observe the resulting effect, since head movement causes a change in the result.
All of these prior art techniques, due to their configuration or method of application, do not provide optimum interaction between the operator and the system being controlled.
Based on the time span and variety of device implementations covered by all prior art, with none of them concerned with or citing a non-joystick, boxlike shaped controller held with two hands for effectively generating functional and/or directional control signals by tilting the box while actuating switches for auxiliary signals and facilitating a neutral control position reference and maintainance, this invention is conclusively unique in arrangement and application. Therefore, it is definitely not obvious to persons having ordinary skill or experience in the area of technology related to this device.
With respect to all prior art, the invention described herein provides faster reaction time, better operating reliability, lower production cost, enhanced human factors, and is intriguingly unique and novel. This device appears to be more desirable than video controllers currently on the market such as the popular joystick control, joypad control, track-ball control, infrared hand position sensor control, glove control, steering wheel control, and other types of devices primarily used for video and other control applications.